 |
| Courtesy of morgueFile.com |
Personalities are as varied as the shapes of leaves. There are some patrons that are prepared and make
a dash to the bookshelf to grab that next read, whether they have placed a hold
or know exactly where the target is. There are some patrons who will make a
direct line to the circulation or reference desk in search of something they
cannot find . . . including the illusive next read. There are also those that would prefer to be
left to their own devices and don’t enjoy making the initial contact with
anyone.
Whatever the personality, the library needs to
be ready to meet the needs of all patrons in varying situations and personalities. Using passive readers’ advisory or “stealth
readers’ advisory,” as Cindy Hulsey identifies it, empowers patrons in making personal selections “without the
pressure of a librarian standing by” or with the some times illusive but
desired discussion—depending on the personality of the patron (Towey 135).
The
patrons who come into the library in hopes of attaining that book which will
keep them entertained and perhaps even put them into a zone all their own will
benefit from passive readers’ advisory.
This zone can be associated with the
“flow” that Cathleen Towey writes about in her article, “Flow: the Benefits of
Pleasure Reading and Tapping Readers’ Interests.” She defined “flow” as “an optimal
psychological state that individuals reach when they are so engrossed in an
activity that nothing else matters” (132). “Some library patrons prefer to be
left alone in their selection process, enjoying the solitary and serendipitous
pursuit of browsing” (Towey, 135). These
patrons, if asked if they need help finding anything, they reply that are ‘just
looking.’
There are also some patrons
who would love to chat with their favorite librarian about their next reading
adventure, but the desk is swamped with other patrons or said librarian is
helping someone with a computer, copier, or fax machine problem. As Kaite Mediatore Stover, states, “As
workloads in libraries increase, it’s important to note that passive library
services are not only permissible but in some cases necessary” (123). These patrons will often resort to shopping
because, bless their hearts, they ‘don’t want to be a bother.’
Passive readers’ advisory is also important
with more libraries using digital media to satisfy patron’s desires. Some patrons prefer to do everything via the
Internet (especially in during the sometimes extreme cold of winter). Lissa Staley wrote, “Passive readers’
advisory is an essential part of any library’s readers advisory services
because it reaches a group of readers who cannot or will not take advantage of
real-time face-to-face services” (73).
Aside from being shy, some people are homebound, some are ill and some
just want to stay in where it is warm or cool (depending on the weather).
Hulsey
defines passive readers’ advisory, stating, it
is a
catch-all phrase that includes anything other than the . . . one-on-one chat
about books—from book displays to read-alike lists; but there is really nothing
passive about it. It requires an active
approach to infuse readers’ advisory into almost everything you do.
“Stealth” readers’ advisory may also be a great
way to break down barriers for those shy patrons. There is the hope that after they have read a
few of the suggested books via the passive advisory, they feel more trusting
and possibly may step over the boundary of shyness they have felt in the past
and talk with the librarian.
So,
what are some ways to lead some patrons to their next read when the direct communication
is not possible? The possibilities are
endless, but this submission is not.
Below are just a few ideas that are tried-and-true.
Possibilities
Bookmarks
(Saricks)
|
·
Web bookmarks or links to online aids help
those that are more self-sufficient.
Some examples are:
o
Fantasticfiction.co.uk
o
NoveList (a subscribed database)
o
Literature-map.com
o
Fiction L
·
Tangible bookmarks can list web resources
according to genre. These bookmarks
can be placed in the stacks close to the genre they represent as patrons
peruse the stacks.
|
A
Copy of Booklist (Saricks)
|
·
This magazine can either be ordered for
in-house or web use.
|
Organization
techniques of the stacks
|
·
“Grouping all the new fiction in one place is
an effective form of passive readers advisory”. Or genre or subject specific bookshelves
(Towey, 134-5)
|
Homemade
RA tools
|
·
Patron suggestions on “multicolored index
cards,” staff recommendations, ‘Book of the Day,’ ‘read alike lists
(especially handy for those high circulating books that patrons are waiting
for or have read), newsletter of staff favorites (Stover).
·
Poster of a favored author’s favorite reads
(Hulsey).
·
Shelf Talkers: These are annotations of select
books placed in the stacks where the book would be shelved. Also can be signed by a staff member as an
example of “staff picks” (Wetta).
·
Reading lists in a binder: “it can be a great
resource both for staff who may be less familiar with certain genres and for
patrons who don’t want to ask someone in person for a suggestion”
(Wetta). These can contain
“traditional lists,” “book covers,” “flow charts,” etc.
|
Observation
|
·
John Schoppert, a writer for Booklist Online, suggests the ways
that libraries can look to bookstores for “the dynamics of prominent
front-list displays.” Next time you
get a chance, walk around a bookstore and observe how some of the items there
catch your eye. Then think: “How can I
do that at the library?”
|
Works cited
Hulsey, Cindy. “Readers
Advisor News: Stealth Readers’ Advisory.”
Libraries Unlimited. Nov 2010. Web. (2 March 2015).
Schoppert, John. “Retail Approach or Library Approach?
Shaping Readers’ Advisory| Booklist Online.” Bodleian Itch: Libraries, Cononection, Content. Web.
(2 March 2015)
Staley, Lissa.
“Passive Readers’ Advisory: Bookmarks, Booklists, and Displays.” The Readers’
Advisory Handbook. Ed. Jessica E. Moyer & Kaite Mediatore Stover. Chicago: American Library Association,
2010. Print.
Stover, Kaite Mediatore.
“Readers Advisory: Working without a Net: Readers’ Advisory in the Small
Public Library.” Reference & User
Services Quarterly. 2005: 45, 2. EbscoHost. Web. (2 Feb 2015).
Towey, Cathleen A. “Flow: The Benefits o Pleasure Reading
and Tapping Readers’ Interests.” Acquisitions Librarian. 2001: 131-140. EbscoHost Web. (15 Feb 2015)
Wetta, Molly.
“Passive Readers’ Advisory for Teens in the Library.” Wrapped Up in Books. 16 Dec 2013.
Web. (15 Feb 2015).
